Paul Verhoeven Appreciation Thread

[KaijuDude1992]

Wow I don't know how I missed this thread, but I definitely got to put in my two cents on this one. Paul Verhoeven was truly a special kind of filmmaker, because not only did he make edgy blockbusters, but he actually made films that were at least somewhat thought provoking even if most people only pay attention to the sex and violence in his films. Obviously, I loved how he didn't shy away from that stuff either, but great, classic movies like Robocop and Total Recall are so much more than that and were so far ahead of their times IMO. I get immense trashy fun out of films like Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers and the very criminally underrated Hallow Man as well. Hell I can even admit that Show Girls is definitely not a good movie, but damn is it always entertaining to watch.

 

[-JKR-]

I don't think Basic Instinct and especially Starship Troopers are trashy though.

The first is a subversive take on the Hitchcockian thriller, while Starship Troopers is a very smart, mean spirited satire on both fascism and 1990s teenage television series. And the action and effects kick ass!

Both quite underrated and misunderstood.

 

[StarLord]

Starship Troopers is great. I'M DOING MY PART!

 

[KaijuDude1992]

Maybe trashy was the wrong word, because I didn't mean it as a knock against those films. I actually love Starship Trooopers quite a bit and have since I was a kid and I also really enjoy both Basic Instinct and Hallow Man. Its just to me those three, especially Starship Troopers and Hallow Man were closer to B movie films compared to RoboCop or Total Recall. I do feel that they are extremely well done though for what they are and its sad to me that we will probably never see Hollywood or the studios take the risk of pouring so much money into those kinds of big budget R rated films ever again unless its apart of some kind of established franchise.

That is what I miss the most about the 90's and the early 2000's honestly.

 

[OutOfBoose]

For those interested in reading the script:

https://stephenbatchelorblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/crusade.pdf

God why it didn't happen........ Life is cruel.

By the way, 4K UHD of Basic Instinct and Total Recall are likely to arrive this Summer. If nothing goes wrong with you know what.

 

[Black Narcissus]

 

[kguillou]

I adore Verhooven. His style of film would not be made today though.

 

[-JKR-]

It might.
Even though it's not exactly in the vein of Verhoeven's movies, and even though it IS based on a huge comic book property, Joker has proven that there (luckily) IS an audience for a studio movie which shocks and offends half of the public opinion.

 

[OutOfBoose]

Will we see Benedetta this year?

 

[-JKR-]

It mostly depends on the French situation. It's a French-Danish co-production and I'm pretty sure the producers and distributor will wait for theaters to reopen.
They might also want to wait for the next big European film festival for the launch, which could mean that we won't see it before 2021.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

I don't know if its just me, but I think District 9 had a lot elements that were very reminiscent of Verhoeven's earlier stuff from the bits of extreme gory violence to the stabs at political satire. Makes it even more of shame that Blomkamp couldn't live up to his potential after that, because boy did that guy come out the gate strong. I mean there's certain stuff that I liked in both Elysium and Chappie, but narratively those movies are a complete ****ing mess and so forgettable IMO. Sharlto Copley was easily the best thing to come out of all three of those movies though.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Wow, Crusade sounds amazing. I remember reading about how Arnold wanted to make a movie about the Crusades back in the Nineties but I didn’t know Verhoeven was involved. I think I heard somewhere that the project eventually morphed into Kingdom of Heaven, though maybe that was wrong. Anyway, I’d love to see the film be made now, especially since movie budgets seem to have no limit anymore.

 

[-JKR-]

I don't know if its just me, but I think District 9 had a lot elements that were very reminiscent of Verhoeven's earlier stuff from the bits of extreme gory violence to the stabs at political satire. Makes it even more of shame that Blomkamp couldn't live up to his potential after that, because boy did that guy come out the gate strong. I mean there's certain stuff that I liked in both Elysium and Chappie, but narratively those movies are a complete ****ing mess and so forgettable IMO. Sharlto Copley was easily the best thing to come out of all three of those movies though.

I honestly and unapologetically love "Elyisium," too, which cointains plenty of Verhoeven-isms, as well. "Chappie" is his weakest movie, so far, but I personally cannot wait to see what does next.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I kinda like Chappie but I think it would have been SO much better if they had cast real actors as Chappie’s friends instead of those Die Antwoord idiots.

 

[OutOfBoose]

'Basic Instinct' Gets 4K Restoration by Studiocanal to Hit Theaters - Variety

Shame director's cut negatives are lost and they used internegatives for them. They won't look as good... Makes me hate these rating boards so much.

Though the restoration is gorgeous:

Spoiler

 

[OutOfBoose]

 

[Deck Rickard]

Somehow I’ve never seen Basic Instinct, despite having a huge crush on Sharon Stone in the 1990s. I think I saw every other crappy movie back then where they exploited her sex appeal (The Specialist, A.K.A., “Let’s **** in the shower while bad guys blow up”, and Sliver).

 

[OutOfBoose]

Somehow I’ve never seen Basic Instinct, despite having a huge crush on Sharon Stone in the 1990s. I think I saw every other crappy movie back then where they exploited her sex appeal (The Specialist, A.K.A., “Let’s **** in the shower while bad guys blow up”, and Sliver).

Beyond career-defining role of Stone, I think it's a great thriller. One of my favorites. Excellent cast and performances, suspense, SOUNDTRACK. But I feel it has reputation of high-budget smut. Erotic part overshadows very good filmmaking.

 

[OutOfBoose]

This is a great trailer:

 

[Black Narcissus]

@KRYPTON INC.
@Deck Rickard
@OutOfBoose
@StarLord

Benedetta trailer is out! Can't link/post for obvious reasons, but tis' is glorious.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

@KRYPTON INC.
@Deck Rickard
@OutOfBoose
@StarLord

Benedetta trailer is out! Can't link/post for obvious reasons, but tis' is glorious.

Looks like he's in a FLESH+BLOOD mode.

Oh... These Millennials just don't know...

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Robocop is flawless. Easily a top 5 all time sci fi action movie.

Total Recall is probably one of the most quotable sci fi movies of the last 40 years.

And Starship Troopers so accurately predicted the War on Terror it's eerie.

Legendary director.

 

[OutOfBoose]

@KRYPTON INC.
@Deck Rickard
@OutOfBoose
@StarLord

Benedetta trailer is out! Can't link/post for obvious reasons, but tis' is glorious.

Yeah, watched it yesterday. We're in for a treat.

 

[OutOfBoose]

Looks pretty close to this:

 

[Luigi]